Nearly 60 trampers were stuck in the Coromandel Peninsula last night due to the wild weather. Most of them have since made it out.
Kauaeranga Valley. Photo: Supplied/DOC.
The storm swept down the North Island causing slips and flooding across Auckland and the Coromandel.
Department of Conservation rangers assessed the Kauaeranga Valley yesterday morning and decided it was too high to safely cross.
About 40 people stayed another night in Pinnacles Hut, while another 17 had to be housed in private accommodation elsewhere after getting stuck trying to make their way out of the bush.
DOC said there were no reports of injuries and the first of the trampers got out safely this morning.
Thames Valley Civil Defence said about 140 millimetres of rain fell in a 12 hour period yesterday.
The region's civil defence controller, Garry Towler, said most property owners appeared to have come through unscathed.
"There's a lot of surface water around, including farmland et cetera, and it looks as though most of the properties have escaped this round of the storms."
Meanwhile, State Highway 25A has reopened under stop-and-go management around a slip. However, the Thames Coast Road remains blocked at Ruamahunga, and under stop-and-go at Tapu.
Photo: Supplied / Vivi Barrett
Tapu Camp owner Bruce Efford said the poor weather was a common occurrence which put off people visiting the region.
"It's no good for the Coromandel and it's no good for Coromandel Town, it's no good for the small business down the coast.
"People won't come down the coast road because they don't know what's going to happen."
A Thames Coromandel District Council spokesperson said a number of local roads were also closed across the region.
